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Sodiq Ojuroungbe
Sores of members of Ogun state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress and residents of Sango Ota area of the state have given the Federal and Ogun state governments a 21-day ultimatum to fix the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the scores of members of the NLC and residents of Sango Ota, under the aegis of Ota Progressive Youth Initiative trooped to the expressway in protest the deplorable condition of the road.
The Protesters led by the state NLC chairman , Emmanuel Bankole were armed with placards with various inscriptions such as: “Repair our road with immediate effect or face the wrath of the masses” and “400 percent hike in transport fare due to bad road”, “Our roads are death traps,” “Fix our roads, No good roads, No payment of tax”, “Our taxes are meant for fixing road, so what happens” and “Industries in Ota are relocating and closing down due to bad roads”, among others.
They shutdown the road from Joju bus stop, leaving scores of motorists stranded.
This will be the second time in the last one month residents would be protesting the deplorable state of the road which have become users’ nightmare.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the state Chairman of NLC, Comrade Bankole Emmanuel, lamented that despite the visit of Abiodun and the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to assess the condition of the road, nothing had been done.
Bankole said, “Few weeks back, the Governor and Minister were here, telling us that they will commence the reconstruction of the road.
“We are surprised that since when they came, not even single tipper of gravel has been put on the road.
“This implies that they can’t do anything, they are just fooling us, they don’t have any plan for us.
“At this juncture, we need to need to withdraw our destiny from them.
“All these politicians don’t have any good plan for us, during election, we voted for APC (All Progressives Congress) both at national and state levels so that they can bring peace into the Country. But unfortunately it continue getting worst day by day.
“If they want to defend themselves, they will start saying one is FG road, the other is State road, Did they tell us these before the election?
“Hence, we will give them 21 days ultimatum to start working on it or else, we will shutdown the whole of Ogun State while everyone seat at home, since they are not ready for us.
“Enough of this system of fooling, they know how to go to nokes and crannies during campaign but, when roads are bad, they wouldn’t go there.
“Last time, they were saying they are not aware that the roads are bad as these, Since when they are aware, what have they done positively?
“We need them to know our minds.
If we keep quiet, they wouldn’t do anything and that is why I’m calling on all citizens to let’s arise and face this struggle”.
